The subject matter disclosed herein relates to tools and methods for installing turbine blades into the stages of a turbine. More specifically, the subject matter discloses tools and methods for installing turbine blades into a turbine stage by using an impact force.
In general, turbine engines contain one or more stages of turbine blades having the blades (i.e., buckets) positioned circumferentially around an axis. Steam or combustion gases may flow through the one or more stages of turbine blades to generate power for a load (e.g., generator) and/or a compressor. The blades may be typically installed by incrementally sliding each blade circumferentially within a rotor disk. The final locking blade may then be installed by using an impact force to drive the locking blade into a proper position in the rotor disk. Typically, a tool such as a sledgehammer is used as the impacting tool. Multiple blows of the sledgehammer may be needed to properly wedge the locking blade into its final position. Unfortunately, a tool such as a sledgehammer is not easily targeted or controlled and results in an uneven impacting of the locking blade. Accordingly, there is a need for an impact tool and a method to easily target and impact a locking blade using a controlled, easily repeatable impact force.